As a friend
by A Natsume Yuujinchou lover
Summary: Suguro happens to see Rin leaving the school compound and follows him. 3rd-person POV focused primarily on Suguro.


[A/N]: ...Don't get me wrong, I'm not fully motivated to write fanfics yet. It's just that I suddenly got the urge to write this (when I'm supposed to be asleep right now) and didn't want to leave it for tomorrow in fear that I would lose what little motivation I have.

This story takes place **1 year after the first chapter, **assuming Shiro died sometime in **Spring.**

All character rights go to Kazue Kato-sensei.

* * *

><p>It was a normal evening in Spring like any other that Suguro caught a silhoutette amongst the shadows of the cherry blossoms. Before him was a familiar blunet with a long, red pouch slung across his shoulder, walking along the brick path in the direction of the school's main gates.<p>

Under normal circumstances the blond would usually leave the blunet alone, knowing full well that having a conversation with him would only lead to undesirable arguments between the two. This time, however, he felt as though something was off.

Starting from the more obvious changes, the blunet was dressed in his entire set of a school uniform: the jacket, tie and dress shoes. Another noticable difference was the absence of the cat sidhe that usually followed the blunet. What caught his attention most was the solemn look on his face. It was completely different from the quiet, hesitant frown the blunet usually wore when he thought no one was looking.

Still, he didn't like the fact that the former was leaving school premises- without permission from the other glasses-wearing blunet, no doubt- without anyone to keep an eye on him or the dangers that are literally attracted to him. All that, and the fact that it was almost dinnertime.

With little thought about his next move, Suguro pulled the hood of his jacket over his head and quietly ran after the blunet.

XXX

_To think that idiot was actually planning to go quite far_, Suguro huffed in annoyance as he stuffed his hands in his pockets to get warm. Both students were now in a train heading towards the suburbs a fair distance from True Cross Academy.

He didn't think about it before, but he knew nothing about the blunet's life before entering True Cross Academy- which at this moment, the view of said academy from the train carriage was extremely grand- nor had he asked him anything about it. The blunet obviously knew his, having gone to this family temple and inn as well as save both structures and his family from the Impure King. Yet the blunet had always been so tightlipped about his own past.

He clearly remembered what Yukio had told them when they found out the blunet's powers.

_"... is the child born of a human woman that Satan's possessed body impregnated around 15 years ago. He inherited Satan's blue flames, and by sealing his flames in the Koma Sword, he was raised as a relatively normal person for the past 16 years. However, the Koma Sword can no longer keep his flames in check. His powers awoken appoximately 3 months ago. Until then, he was brought up without any knowledge of who he was."_

... was what Yukio said, but he didn't include any specifics! Where and how had he been living for the first 15 years of his life? Who took care of him before he regained his powers? How did he awaken them in the first place? And probably the most important question of all...

Why was he even brought up in the first place?

Suguro had this feeling the last question was what the blunet had been asking himself for the past year.

His thought process didn't last very long, for the blunet's somewhat hesitant anticipation as the train door opened broke Suguro out of his thoughts and he continued his quiet pursuit.

XXX

Suguro settled him by the fence to a small graveyard next to a church. The blunet had gone through them about half an hour ago but there was still not a sound made. The silence was deafening, and Suguro stopped every urge to peek over the bushes in fear that the blunet might see him.

After what seemed like an eternity, the blunet finally spoke.

"... Old man."

A clear voice- the blunet's- cut through the cold spring air.

"How's it like in heaven? Is the food there great? Are you surrounded by tons of pretty girls?"

His voice tried to sound uplifting- like it was meant to sound like a joke- but it only came out painful.

"Yukio and I are doing fine. Both of us are currently enrolled in True Cross Academy. Mephisto's a lying bastard at times, manipulating us and all like we're mere puppets in his toybox. Shura's also really fiesty at times, but she's a great teacher. I guess she got that from you."

"I'm an exorcist now, and I've also made a few friends since then. There's Bon..." Suguro resisted the urge to blow his cover to get the blunet to say his actual name. "...Konekomaru, Shima, Izumo, Shiemi, and Kuro, of course. Bon's really short tempered and we argue a lot, but we share the same goal and do get along sometimes. He's also very smart, which makes me really jealous of him because it makes studying for tests so such easier. Konekomaru and Shima and part of his trio. Konekomaru is a little shy, but I get along with him fine now. Shima's also a pretty cool guy. Izumo is very kind but she doesn't like to admit it. Shiemi's very nice too. To be perfectly honest, I like Shiemi, but she likes Yukio more so I won't butt in if she wants to stick with him. Ah, I'll bring them over next time so you'll be able to meet them!"

There was silence for a few moments before he spoke again.

"You know, Old man? There's so much I want to tell you about the past year that I don't think one visit is enough. Don't get me wrong though, I would galdly come by again but Yukio won't let me come here alone. That guy's always such a worrywart. Plus you're probably watching us from heaven, so I don't think I have to tell you every single thing... right?"

Silence followed again, this time longer than the last. When the blunet's voice was heard again, it cracked.

"Hey, Old man... Do you hate me? Do you hate me for killing you? For saying those horrible things that gave Satan the opportunity to possess you?"

Suguro's eyes widened at those words. To think the happy-go-lucky half-demon he knew was constantly thinking such thoughts... and blamed himself for this someone's death.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I didn't try to understand what you were trying to tell me. I'm sorry I didn't understand that all you wanted was to protect me! I'm sorry I said hateful things to you... that I told you not to act like my father ever again! I'm sorry I got you killed! I... I'm sorry..."

"... _Dad_..."

Suguro quietly stood up and walked away, leaving the broken blunet to cry out his feelings on the one night he allowed himself to.

XXX

He returned to the graveyard after an hour, somewhat hoping that the blunet wasn't there. He breathed a sigh of relief upon noticing that, true to his belief, there was no one in sight. Suguro took in a deep breath as he walked through the now-silent graveyard, only stopping at the one gravestone with a familiar name on it.

_'Fujimoto Shiro'._

The name of the previous paladin before August Angel- whatever his name was.

To think this man was the one who took care of the blunet all these years...

_... he was raised as a relatively normal person..._

_... he was raised as a __**human**__._

"... Father Fujimoto!" Suguro spoke without thinking. He caught himself and bit his lip, wondering whether it was even worth speaking up before scrapping those thoughts away- who cares if the dead can't hear what he had to say, he just had to say it now! "My name is Suguro Ryuuji, otherwise known by that idiot as 'Bon'! He and I may not be chummy or best friends with each other, but I'll always stand by him when he is in need or in trouble! So... don't worry and rest peacefully!"

The graveyard fell silent again and Suguro could feel the stares of passerbys walking by. He shook them off with an embarrassed blush as he quickly stomped out of the graveyard and past them.

_That idiot had better appreciate this_, he thought as he walked briskly back to the station.

XXX

"... Thanks, Suguro." a small smile graced Rin's lips from his hiding spot behind the bushes.

-End-


End file.
